1. Introduction & Dataset Description
This project investigates how social capital influences household
coping strategies (CSI) and livelihood coping strategies (LCSI) in
Zimbabwe within the Takunda program over a year in February and Augest
2024 (Round 3 and Round 4). The dataset includes household-level
indicators collected through structured surveys on food security, coping
strategies, and social capital.
Study details: Sample size: Round 3 (n = 483), Round 4 (n = 280)
Study population: Households in food-insecure regions of Zimbabwe Data
collection: Structured in-person surveys
Key variables include: - Social Capital Index (SCI):
Measures bonding and bridging social capital based on assistance within
and outside the community. - Coping Strategy Index
(CSI): Measures short-term food insecurity coping mechanisms. -
Livelihood Coping Strategy Index (LCSI): Captures
long-term financial and livelihood-related coping strategies.
Load Libraries
library(ggplot2)
library(plotly)
library(dplyr)
library(DT)
library(tidyr)
Load Data
Scatter plot conclusion:
- There is a slight negative correlation between Social Capital Index
(SCI) and CSI, meaning that households with higher social capital tend
to use fewer coping strategies.
- Comparison Between Rounds: The trend is consistent across Round 3
and Round 4, but CSI scores appear slightly lower in Round 4, further
reinforcing the idea that households relied less on food-related coping
strategies over time.
- This supports the hypothesis that social capital plays a role in
reducing the need for negative coping strategies, as stronger social
networks may provide households with alternative means to deal with food
insecurity.
BoxPlot Inclusion:
- Households in Round 4 had lower CSI scores compared to Round 3,
indicating reduced reliance on short-term food-related coping strategies
(e.g., reducing portion sizes, skipping meals).
- There is a significant decrease in LCSI in Round 4, suggesting
households relied less on extreme financial and asset-based coping
mechanisms like selling assets or borrowing food on credit.
- This trend suggests households became more food secure over time,
possibly due to improved access to resources and support networks. ###
Overall Conclusion
- Households in Round 4 demonstrated improved food security, as
indicated by lower CSI and LCSI scores.
- Higher Social Capital was associated with reduced reliance on coping
strategies, reinforcing its importance in food security resilience.
- The Takunda program’s interventions may have contributed to
strengthening social capital, ultimately helping to reduce household
vulnerability to food insecurity.